U.S.

STATE REGULATIONS ON REIKI HEALING

Does Reiki Healing require a license? Good question! It never requires a license
when performing it on yourself, however some states do require a license when applying
Reiki healing to others. We’ve done some digging and found the following information.
However, the tables and corresponding information below should be used only as a
guide. Sacred Mists does not warrant any of the information provided as current nor
comprehensive and we are not keeping current on the licensing requirements for each
individual state but our own.

We encourage you to check with your own state and local government agencies
for information pertaining to your future Reiki practices and fulfilling any and all
requirements necessary prior to healing or practicing on others. Thank you!

Table Key:
● *REQUIRED* = indicates that current Board of Massage Therapy requires
anyone practicing Reiki to be a certified massage therapist.
● LP = State Legislation to create Board of Massage is Pending
● None = No Board, No Pending Legislation
● Safe = indicates that the massage board does not consider Reiki to be massage.
Nor are there other special laws restricting your practice.
● *Safe* = May be local regulations (city or county)
● ? = Board Exists - Disposition Unknown
● BI Unknown = being investigated - not known if board exists or if there is
pending legislation.
● UA = URGENT ACTION NEEDED!

Status by State
State Summary:
Must be Certified: [3]
Reiki Isn’t Regulated: [20]
Unknown: [14]
No Board: [4]
Pending Legislation: [8]
Pending Massage Board Decision: (0)

ALABAMA - Safe
ALASKA - ???
ARIZONA - Safe
ARKANSAS - UA
CALIFORNIA - Safe
COLORADO - Safe
CONNECTICUT - ???
DELAWARE - Safe
FLORIDA *Required*
GEORGIA - ???
HAWAII - ???
IDAHO - ???
ILLINOIS - Safe
INDIANA - ???
IOWA - Safe
KANSAS - Safe
KENTUCKY - ???
LOUISIANA - Safe
MAINE - Safe
MARYLAND - Safe
MASSACHUSETTS - Not Safe
MICHIGAN - Safe
MINNESOTA -???
MISSISSIPPI - Safe
MISSOURI - Safe
MONTANA - Needs Your Attention!!
NEBRASKA - ???
NEVADA - ???
NEW HAMPSHIRE - Sort of Safe
NEW JERSEY - Safe
NEW MEXICO - Safe
NEW YORK - Safe
NORTH CAROLINA - Safe
NORTH DAKOTA - Not Safe
OHIO - ???
OKLAHOMA - ???
PENNSYLVANIA - Safe
RHODE ISLAND - Safe
OREGON - ???
SOUTH CAROLINA - ???
SOUTH DAKOTA - ???
TENNESSEE - Safe
TEXAS - Safe
UTAH - Safe
VERMONT - Safe
VIRGINIA - Safe
WASHINGTON - Safe
WASHINGTON, DC - Safe
WEST VIRGINIA - Safe
WISCONSIN - ???
WYOMING - ???

ALABAMA - Safe
Keith Warren, Executive Secretary of the Board has stated that Reiki is not
considered massage therapy in this state. (4-18-00)

Address:
PO Box 56
Montgomery, AL, 36101-0056

(334) 269-9990.

On Line Definitions state that a massage therapist is “A person licensed pursuant

to this chapter who practices or administers massage therapy or touch therapy
modalities to a patron for compensation.”

ALASKA - None
As of 4-17-00, Alaska does not have a Board of Massage Therapy, nor pending
legislation that we know of.

ARIZONA - Safe
Arizona has not yet passed a massage act that we know of. There is no state
licensing in the state of Arizona. It is done city by city. In Tucson, the licensing is done
by the Tucson City Business Licensing Dept. There is a written and hands on test
conducted by a volunteer massage board.
For information in Tucson, contact:

Tucson City Licensing

255 W. Alameda
Tucson, AZ 85701.

520-791-4566.
If have information about other cities in Arizona, please share it with us.

ARKANSAS - Unknown - Update Needed. Board Member Information.

Contact Information:
Arkansas State Board of Massage Therapy
103 Airways
Hot Springs, Arkansas 71903-0739

Phone: (501) 623-0444

The board of massage therapists are beginning the task of discussing “Rules and
Regulations” and will have an in-depth discussion of Reiki at that time. The time of the
meeting is not yet known as of this update (05-12-00). The time for masters and
practitioners to deal with the Arkansas board of massage therapy is now, before they
reach their conclusion. Join the Arkansas_Reiki_Coalition Egroup!
Correspondence with the Arkansas Board of Massage Therapy will bring you up
to date on what we know and will continue to be updated. If your not a member of the
Reiki and Spiritual Healing Coalition mailing list, please join! Also, contact the legal
index for regular updates.
While the Arkansas Law and the Board of Massage have indicated that they feel
they regulate all “hands-on bodywork techniques and procedures”, they have not
committed to a definite “Yes” or “No” in regards to Reiki.
On Line Info. (No home page)

Contact:
Arkansas State Board of Massage Therapy
103 Airways
Hot Springs, AR, 71903-0739

Phone: (501) 623-0444

Email: asbmt@hsnp.com

CALIFORNIA - Safe
California has not passed a massage act. California is regulated by city or county.
There is no know regulation of Reiki in the state of California. However, we need to
watch this state to see if pending legislation is introduced. Check with your local cities
licensure department to see if there are any local requirements for Reiki masters and
Practitioners. With the number of massage therapists in this state and the amount of
money involved, it is a matter of time before state legislation is introduce, all though we
have no indications at this point that there are any efforts underway.

COLORADO - Safe
There is no board of massage therapy in Colorado. Some counties do regulate
massage therapy, others do not. None, that we know of, regulate Reiki. Massage Parlor
Act (includes massage therapist) - is the only state statue we could find about massage
therapy.
CONNECTICUT - Unknown - Update Needed.
CT Massage Therapy Inquiries
Dept of Public Health
Tel: 203-566-1284

Some web info. At: Massage Therapist Licensure

Contact:
Massage Therapy Licensure
Department of Public Health
410 Capitol Avenue - MS#12APP
PO Box 340308
Hartford, CT 06134-0308

Attention: Tresti Quiller

(860) 509-7570

DELAWARE - Safe
Reiki is not regulated by the board of massage therapy in this state as it fails to
meet the legal definition of manipulation of tissue. (70 Del. Laws, c. 582, § 1.) Title 24,
Chapter 53, § 5302. Definitions. (6) “Practice of massage and bodywork” shall mean a
system of structured touch applied to the superficial or deep tissue, muscle, or
connective tissue, by applying pressure with manual means. Such application may
include, but is not limited to, friction, gliding, rocking, tapping, kneading, or nonspecific
stretching, whether or not aided by massage oils or the application of hot and cold
treatments. The practice of massage and bodywork is designed to promote general
relaxation, enhance circulation, improve joint mobilization and/or relieve stress and
muscle tension, and to promote a general sense of well-being.

FLORIDA - *Required By Board Of Massage, Not by Florida Law*

Board of Massage Therapy interpretation requires Reiki Practitioners to be Cert.
Massage Therapists, NOT Florida law. Legally Reiki fails to meet the definition of
manipulation of tissue. The board’s hyperationalized position that “touch equals
manipulation” fails to hold water when held up to the light. Action is required to bring
about a legal board position related to Reiki.

FL Dept of Professional Regulation

Board of Massage Therapy
Tel: 904-488-6021
Contact:
Florida Department of Professional Regulation
Board of Massage
Northwood Center 1940 N. Monroe St.
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0774

(904) 488-6021

GEORGIA - Safe - Updated: 09-20-02

HAWAII - Unknown
HI Professional and Vocational Licensing Division
Tel: 808-586-2696

Contact:
State of Hawaii Professional & Vocational Licensing Division Department of Commerce
& Consumer Affairs
PO Box 3469
Honolulu, HI 96801

(808) 586-3000 or (808) 586-2699

IDAHO - None
As of 4-17-00, Idaho has no board of massage therapy, nor pending legislation.

ILLINOIS - Safe
Reiki has been exempted from massage law in the text of the legislation (
92_HB2271enr ) Updated: 09-20-02

INDIANA - Unknown - Update Needed.

In Fort Wayne: massage therapist must be certified with the city. Other cities
may have similar regulations. There is no state board of massage therapy in Indiana.
Legislative attempts in the past have not yet been successful. Schools of massage
therapy are certified through the state board of proprietary education.

IOWA - Safe
Sharon Cook
515-242-5936
scook@idph.state.ia.us

[Check SF2113 - Sec 147.2 Code 1999]

Contact:
Board of Massage Therapy Examiners
Iowa Department of Public Health
Lucas State Office Bldg
4th Floor
Des Moines, IA 50319-0075

Tel: (515) 281-6959

Contact: Phylis Prall

KANSAS - Safe
Contact:
Kansas State Board of Healing Arts
235 Topeka Blvd.
KS 66603-3068

Tel: (785) 296-7413

Fax: (785) 296-0852

Massage Therapy is not regulated in Kansas nor is Reiki.

KENTUCKY - Unknown - Update Needed.

No legislation, past or present found on the Kentucky Legislative Search Service.
Still investigating.

Possible Contact:
Cabinet For Health Services
275 East Main Street
Frankfort, Kentucky, 40621

LOUISIANA - Safe
LA Board of Massage Therapists
Tel: (225) 658 - 8941

Contact:
Louisiana Board of Massage Therapists
PO Box 1279
Zachary, LA 70791

MAINE - Safe
ME Dept of Professional and Financial Regulation
Tel: 207-624-8603

Contact:
Marlene McFadden
Department of Professional & Financial Regulation
Licensing & Enforcement Division
35 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0035
Web: http://www.state.me.us/pfr/led/massage/index.htm

MARYLAND - Safe
Update: 4-20-01: Maryland SB 194, which clarifies that - “Massage Therapy
DOES NOT include the laying on of hands consisting of pressure or movement on a fully
clothed individual to specifically affect the electromagnetic, energy or energetic field of
the human body” was signed into law by Governor Glendenning on Friday, April 20th,
2001. (Thanks to Mary McGovern of Maryland for the update.)
Update: 6-01-01: Maryland House Bill 289 took effect June 1, 2001, exempting
Reiki and other energy modalities from Board of Massage authority. Text of bill

MASSACHUSETTS - Safe???? - Updated 09-20-02

In MA, check with your local City or county office of licensure to see if there are
any local regulations that affect Reiki practitioners. If you find out there are some in
your city or county, please notify us! [URLI@sacredpath.org]
If you live in Mass. Please contact the organization below. Thanks!
Reiki Task Force
Center for Balance
709 Washington Street
Newtonville, MA 02460
Whlbdyhlth@aol.com

City Information:
The City of Lowell, MA - claims you need a license to practice Reiki - the only
license they give is - right! - a massage license!
Westport, MA - the Board of Health says you don’t need any type of license
through the town or state because Reiki is not a form of massage therapy.
Town of Westport
MA Board of Health
856 Main Road
Westport, MA 02790
508-6361015.

Send city information to: webmaster@sacredpath.org! Thanks! Please include

any contact information for the city official you spoke with so we can post it. Thanks!

MICHIGAN - Pending Legislation?

HB5219 - Massage Therapy Act stuck in committee (4-18-00). Involvement now
could exclude Reiki from the start!!

MINNESOTA - Safe
According to your new law (passed in 2000) for unlicensed practitioners, you
should fall under its provisions to practice legally as an energy worker...lucky you!! And
according to the law’s writer, Diane Miller, they intentionally did not list Reiki
separately, but rather included it in the category of energy workers.

MISSISSIPPI - Safe
From the AMTA in Mississippi - bill introduced in the legislature for the last six
years. Was turned down in the senate this year (2000). Looks good for next year.
Officially dead this year. ***** Reiki is specifically exempt from this bill ***** --

Beverly Bazzill, President of the MI AMTA

Office number: 662-323-8111

MISSOURI - Safe
Check out ReikiProjectMissouri - a group of Reiki masters and practitioners who
have come together to form an group that can educate massage boards and other
governmental agencies about Reiki.
Revised Online Statues: http://www.moga.state.mo.us/statutes/c300-399/
3240240.htm
--- <<< Reiki is not under board authority in this state. >> ---

Division of Professional Registration

Massage Therapy Board
PO Box 1335
Jefferson City, MO 65102-1335

Tel: 573-751-0845
Fax: 573-751-0878

Web: www.ecodev.state.mo.us/pr/massagetherapy/
Email: profreg@mail.state.mo.us
MONTANA - Pending Legislation
THE HEALTH WORKS INSTITUTE NEWSLETTER talks about getting
legislation passed for massage therapy. Reiki Practitioners in Montana may want to
have Reiki specifically excluded from this bill. If you are interested in networking with
folks in Montana, please contact: crystalgardens@earthlink.net.

Health Works Institute

111 South Grand, Annex 3
Bozeman, MT 59715
Phone: (406) 582-1555
Fax: (406) 522-0493
Email: programs@healthworksinstitute.com
Web site: www.healthworksinstitute.com

NEBRASKA - ?
NE Bureau of Examining Boards
Dept. of Health
Tel: 402-471-2115

Contact:
Health and Human Services Credentialing Division
PO Box 94986
Lincoln, NE 68509-4986

Attention: Chris Chiles

(402) 471-2115

NEVADA - PENDING
Was in very early stages of writing a bill that was scheduled to be introduced in
2000 or 2001. Updated Needed.
The situation in Nevada is a confusing one. While there is no state board of
massage therapy nor pending legislation, sources close to the Los Vegas chapter of the
AMTA has informed us that the AMTA has hired a consultant to write legislation to be
introduced this year or next (2000 or 2001). Preliminary indications are that cities and
counties, which currently regulate massage therapy, also require Reiki masters and
practitioners to be certified massage therapists. This has not yet been confirmed
however. To complicate matters, with prostitution legal in some cities, local attitudes
are that all healing modalities need to be regulated in order to keep a control on the
prostitution. Chances are that in this state, legislation will require Reiki masters and
practitioners to be certified massage therapists. We will keep digging into local
regulations as well as legislative efforts in this state. If you live in Nevada, please check
with your city or county about regulations affecting Reiki. Let us know what city or
county you checked on and what there requirements are or aren’t. We’ll add the
information the National Survey. Now might be a real good time for those in Nevada to
organize a group that will work with those creating the legislation which will be
introduced this year or next. With regulations affecting Reiki a the county and city level,
you can bet it’ll be included at the state level, too.
Seems that massage therapy is currently under the authority of C.O.P.E., the
Commission on Proprietary Education. Some information found at: NV Admin. Code
394.535 Massage schools: Programs of instruction.

New Hampshire - Sort of Safe! - Updated: 08-21-02

NH Dept. of Public Health
Bureau of Health Facilities Admin.
Tel: 603 - 271- 5127

Contact:
New Hampshire Office of Program Support Health Facilities Administration Health &
Welfare Bldg
6 Hazen Dr.
Concord, NH, 03301-6527

When practicing Reiki, if you will be touching people, you need some sort of
license - a massage license or a physical therapist license - some license. It appears that
the issue is not so much the modality but whether or not the body is touched. So, if you
do not touch people, you don’t need any license.

NEW JERSEY - Safe

The New Jersey board of massage therapists have no interest in regulating Reiki.
Some work has been done by a private group seeking to certify Reiki under the auspices
of a group called the NJ Assoc. of Massage Therapists, Body Workers and Somato
Therapists, which would somehow report back to the state Board of Nursing. The
problem is that with no standard practices for the training or practice of Reiki providers,
there’s nothing upon which the Board of Nursing or anyone else can base certification.
The closest anyone can suggest is polarity, and I think it would be ridiculous to certify
Reiki practitioners based on a technique that’s anything other than pure Reiki - as is the
case with massage, too.

NEW MEXICO - Safe

Reiki is specifically exempted from massage regulation in the Board of Massage
Therapy Rules.

NM Board of Massage Therapy

Tel: 505-827-7013

Members of the Board

Contact:
Board of Massage Therapy Regulation & Licensing Department
PO Box 25101
Santa Fe, NM 87504
(505) 827-7013

Thanks for the information Don!

NEW YORK - Safe

Reiki was previously considered massage. After seeing a standard Reiki
treatment, the New York Board of Massage Therapy reversed it’s opinion and
declared “...Reiki not massage”.

NY Board for Massage Therapy Education Dept

Division of Professional Licensing
Tel: 518-474-3866

New York State Board of Massage Therapy has ruled that Reiki is not massage.

Contact:
New York State Board of Massage Therapy Cultural Education Center
Room 3041
Albany, NY 12230
Attention: Dr. Doyle
(518) 473-1417 or (518) 474-3866

NORTH CAROLINA - Safe

Pursuant to Rule Section .0203, the Board considers practitioners of movement
education (Alexander Technique, Body-Mind Centering, Feldenkrais Method, and
Trager Psychophysical Integration), as well as practitioners of certain energy-based
techniques (Healing Touch, Jin Shin, Medical Qi Gong, Polarity Therapy, Reflexology,
Reiki, Specific Kinesiology, and Therapeutic Touch), to be within the scope of the
exemptions set forth in the Practice Act and are therefore exempt from licensure
requirements.
Following threats of legal action by polarity therapists, the North Carolina State
Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy exempted almost a dozen energy and
movement therapies from the 1998 law.

NORTH DAKOTA -*Required*

Board of Massage Therapy interpretation requires Reiki Practitioners to be Cert.
Massage Therapists, NOT North Dakota law.

Contact:
North Dakota Massage Board
PO Box 701
Dickenson, ND 58601

Attention: Mary Lamay, President of the Board

(701) 348-3634

OHIO - Unknown - Update Needed.

Contact:
State Medical Board
77 South High St.
17th floor
Columbus, OH, 43215

(614) 466-3934
Contact: Carolyn Mack

OKLAHOMA - Unknown - Update Needed.

OREGON - Unknown - Update Needed.

Oregon Board of Massage Technicians
State Office Building
800 NE Oregon Street
Suite 407B, Portland, OR 97232

Attention: Wanda Woods

(503) 731-4064

East-West College of Healing Arts

http://www.ewcha.com/
Call 1-800-635-9141

PENNSYLVANIA - Safe
RHODE ISLAND
Legislation exempts Reiki from massage board.

SOUTH CAROLINA - ? - Update Needed.

South Carolina Department of Labor Licensing and Regulation
PO Box 11329
Columbia, SC 29211-1329

110 Centerview Drive

Koger Business Center
Columbia, SC 29210

(843) 896-4494

SOUTH DAKOTA - None

As of 4-17-00, it does not appear that South Dakota has a massage board, nor
pending legislation. Things are handled county by county. Check your county out and
let us know!

TENNESSEE - Safe
TN Board of Massage Therapy
Tel: 615-532-5083

Tennessee Massage Licensure Board

425 Fifth Avenue North
1st Floor Cordell Hull Building
Nashville, TN 37247-1010

TEXAS - Safe
Reiki excluded in Board of Massage Therapy rules.

UTAH - Safe
UT Dept of Commerce
Div. of Occupational and Professional Licensing
Tel: 801-530-6628

State of Utah Department of Commerce Division of Occupational & Professional

Licensing
Heber M. Wells Bldg
4th Floor 160 E. 300 South
PO Box 45805
Salt Lake City, UT 84145-0805

Attention: Linda Johnson

(801) 530-6551

VERMONT - Safe
Reiki in Vermont is not regulated, nor is massage. Neither are mentioned in state
laws or regulations. In fact, under the laws regulating psychotherapists, energy
therapies and psychic reading and the like are specifically excluded from regulation
under this section. Please see the Vermont Laws online at the Vermont State homepage.
They are searchable in great detail, and I have done so. There may be a few communities
that regulate or attempt to regulate massage and Reiki. Some prohibit “arcane oriental
arts”. These communities rarely exercise such rules, and these rules are gradually failing
legally. I would consider Vermont to be a “safe” state.

Lawton R. Smith RM
Email - lrsmith@sover.net
Homepage - http://www.sover.net/~lrsmith/

VIRGINIA - Safe - Update Needed.

This issue has not been addressed in Virginia. Reiki practitioners do not need to
be certified massage therapists in Virginia. For statute information, check URL: http://
www.dhp.state.va.us

Contact:
Virginia Board of Nursing
6606 W. Broad St. Richmond, VA 23230
(804) 662-9909

WASHINGTON STATE - Safe

http://www.doh.wa.gov/hsqa/hpqad/Massage/default.htm
WA Dept. Of Health, Health Professions Quality Assurance Div.

Email: rob.darling@doh.wa.gov
Contact: Rob Darling
(360) - 236 - 4866

State of Washington Department of Health

HPQA Division Health Professions
1300 SW Quince Street, PO Box 47868
Olympia, WA 98504-7868

Revised Code of Washington 18.108 - Washington Administrative Code 246-830

WEST VIRGINIA - Safe

WV Massage Therapy
Contact: (304) 528-5551
Louise Franklin (Huntington, WV)

WASHINGTON, DC - Safe - Updated 09-21-02

WISCONSIN - Unknown - Update Needed.

Department of Regulation & Licensure
1400 E. Washington Avenue
PO Box 8935, Madison, WI 53708

Tel: 608/266-8609
Fax: 608/267-0644

WYOMING - Unknown - Update Needed.

***from: “Reiki Practitioners Worldwide” Yahoo group ***